Background: Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder and chronic disease associated with significant cognitive and motor dysfunction.Physical activity interventions are low-cost methods that have the potential to increase mobility and motor function in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic training on depression and balance in schizophrenia patients.

Methods: The present study was semi-experimental with a control group. The participants were 30 schizophrenic men with an age range of 30-60 years from Shiraz city, who were selected as available and randomly divided into two experimental (15 people) and control (15 people) groups. In addition to conventional treatments,, the experimental group performed an aerobic training program for 12 weeks (three sessions per week and one hour each session). The subjects of the control group did not participate in any regular sports activities. The DASS-21 questionnaire was used to measure depression and the static balance test with eyes open and closed with the upper leg was used to measure balance. Dependent variables were evaluated before the intervention and immediately after the intervention. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance.

Results: The findings showed that the average scores of depression and balance of schizophrenia patients improved significantly after the intervention compared to thePre-test(P<0.05). While in the control group, there was no significant difference between the two stages(P>0.05).

Conclusion: Based on research findings, aerobic training is a useful and effective non-pharmacological intervention to improve depression and balance in schizophrenic patients, and it is better to include this intervention in the rehabilitation program of schizophrenic patients.